Connected enables communities, both big and small, to tackle the challenges of broadband ADOPTION, ACCESS, and USE. The Connected program is already changing dozens of communities in states and territories across the United States.

A broadband connection and its meaningful adoption and use is critical to all sectors – community, businesses, residential, and institutions – in order for the United States to remain competitive in a global, digital economy. The impact of such a connection cannot be overstated, and local broadband and technology planning efforts are often the most impactful means to facilitating the expansion of technology access, adoption, and use.

For nearly 15 years, Connected Nation (CN) has been helping communities across the country achieve their technology goals and create a stronger economic, educational, healthy, and sustainable digital environment in communities. Within just the last three years, CN’s Connected Community Engagement Program has actively engaged more than 150 communities across 7 states, and these communities represent nearly 250,000 businesses, more then 4.4 million households, over 12 million residents, and nearly 12,000 community anchor institutions.

In these communities, more than 3,300 local organizations have participated in the Connected program, providing data, guidance, and collaboration to establish an environment favorable to technology-based initiatives. Connected team stakeholders come from many various sectors, including, but not limited to, healthcare, public safety, economic development, local government, education, libraries, agriculture, Native American tribes, businesses, and Internet service providers.

Through a formal broadband planning process, Connected teams work to address a wide variety of community issues such as:

addressing rural telecommunications infrastructure gaps

improving local business outcomes through the use of online technology

The Connected program offers a direct, progressive intervention for accelerating the access, adoption, and use of technology. Throughout the planning process, Connected Nation serves as trusted and neutral facilitator, advisor, and advocate for proven solutions to broadband and technology issues.

Testimonials

The process of becoming a Certified Connected Community had many benefits for Urbandale. It brought together the stakeholders with an interest in Urbandale’s telecommunications infrastructure. It provided an opportunity to hear perspectives and ideas on how to improve Urbandale’s broadband status. Finally, the process and award provided the focus and impetus to identify and begin work on projects. In just a few months since being certified, Urbandale is making progress.

Curtis Brown, Economic Development Office, Urbandale, Iowa

Through the Connected Community Engagement Program we have put together a plan for broadband access, use, and engagement. This is the first time our area has looked at improving broadband access and it’s been a tremendous tool in building improved access for the future.

Connected Community certification says to potential investors that Clarksville-Montgomery County understands today’s global business environment and is committed to providing the tools necessary for industries to build, grow and create jobs in our community. An impartial assessment of our digital infrastructure validates the high quality of resources available in our area.

Cal WrayExecutive DirectorClarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council

Being a rural community and facing the challenges of bringing broadband Internet services to residents, the Clare County Broadband Network Group partnered with Connect Michigan and the Connected program. We are developing the Clare County Technology Action Plan to further foster adoption and education for better broadband use and understanding here in Clare County.

Jerry Becker, Clare County Broadband Network Group, Michigan

With guidance from Connected staff, we were able to bring key players to the table, conduct a community assessment and set priorities for moving forward to a high-speed future. In the months since, we have continued conversations and made progress towards some very exciting developments that I believe would not have been possible with the project.

Monique Shore, Drake Community Library, Grinnell, Iowa

St. Clair County was the third in Michigan and the sixth in the nation to obtain Connected certification. Along with certification, the county worked collaboratively on developing the St. Clair County Technology Action Plan. Our Action Plan is a roadmap for our broadband future. It details our current status and clearly outlines steps to take in order to fill the broadband gaps in the county. We are currently addressing the recommendations laid out in the plan. An unexpected benefit to our broad…

Community Technology Advisors provide independent community broadband education across the state through the Connected Community Engagement Program by working in the best interest of communities.

Linda Satallone, City of Fairfield, Iowa

Manchester was recently recognized as an “Iowa Connected Community” and I was part of the team that gathered the information and created the plan for future improvements. To the best of my knowledge this was the first time that anyone in our area has made an effort to gather information about the existing broadband access and to think about what will be needed for the future. I knew very little about the availability and scope of the internet services within our community as we entered thi…

Connected Nation’s community outreach and education programs have proven to be highly effective in Michigan’s continued strides toward more broadband connectivity and ultimately our state’s economic prosperity.

Bob Pero, Senior VP and General Manager, Frontier Communications

We thought we’d benefit from finding out where we stood. The whole point of the certification process is to identify strengths and weaknesses. Frankly, even if you didn’t get to the certification, you would still get a blueprint for moving forward to eliminate those weaknesses.